Airplane control



March l2, 1946. F. A. woDAL AIRPLANE CONTROL Filed July 30, 1942 l/Runnin Patented Mar. 12, 1946 UNI T ED STATES PATENT O F FICE AIRPLANEcoNTaoL Francis A. Wodal, Camden, N. J. Application. July 3o, 1942,serial N0. 452,824 a claims. (ci. 244-83) (Gran-ted under the act ofMarch 3, 1883,` as amended April 30.11928; 370 O. G. '757) The purposeof my airplane control is to provide a means of control for airplanesthat is more responsive to the thoughts of the lpilot and permits acloser coordination between the thoughts of the pilot and the resultantmaneuvering. This is accomplished, due to the functional properties ofthis control in that one merely points the control shaft in thedirection one wishes to travel, in a manner similar to that of theaiming of an anti-aircraft gun, and turns the wheel to supply thenecessary bank for the particular maneuver. The important factor of mycontrol is that it reduces considerably the training period and theresulting pilot with this control will be superior to opponents in likeairplanes with standard control.

Fig. 1 illustrates in perspective the angular movements of the controlat the control pylon necessary to obtain the corresponding reaction ofthe plane.

Fig. 2 illustrates the three axes about which the airplane movesangularly in response to the corresponding angular movements of thecontrol.

Figs. 3 and 4 show details of the control pylon mechanism.

Fig. 5 illustrates in perspective another form of control having thesame functional characteristics but using direct cable connections tothe control surfaces, without any intervening gears, links or leversbetween the main control shaft and the surface control cables.

Figs. 6 and 7 are detail views of the gimbal ring shown in Fig. 5.

In Fig. 2 13a-Pe illustrates the yawing movement about the vertical axisZ-Z and Cz-Ce in Fig. 1 indicates the necessary angular movement ofcontrol shaft I to operate the rudder to obtain the yawing movement.

Py-Py illustrates the pitching movement about the lateral axis Y-Y andCy-Cy indicates the necessary angular movement of the control shaft I tooperate the elevators to obtain the pitching movement.

Paz-Px illustrates the rolling motion about the longitudinal axis X-Xand Car- Cx indicates the necessary angular movements of the controlshaft through the member 2 to operate the ailerons to obtain the rollingmotion.

Fig. 5 illustrates a perspective view of the direct cable form of myairplane control assembly.

The control member 2 and control shaft I are integral. The control shaftis mounted in rotatory gimbals 3. The elevator cables 4 and 5 areconnected to rotatable ring 6, whereby the vertical Cil movement of themember 2 and shaft I are directly transmitted to the elevators. Therotatable ring 6 is fixed axially relative to shaft I but is free torotate about said shaft. The rudder cables 'I and 8 are connected torotatable ring 6, whereby the lateral movement of the member 2 and shaftI are directly transmitted to the rudder; The outer gimbal ring 9 hasmounted on it a lever I0 to which the aileron cables II and I2 areconnected; thus the rotating movement of the member 2 and shaft I aredirectly transmitted to the ailerons. A counterbalance I3 is fixed toshaft I to counterbalance member 2.

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sectional views of the rotatory gimbals 3illustrating the method of ball bearing mountings at all moving points.

In Fig. 1 is illustrated one form of mechanical type of control pylon,whereas in Figs. 5, 6 and 7 is illustrated a direct connected cablesystem. The details of the control pylon are shown in Figs. 3 and 4. Thecontrol member 2 and control shaft I are integral and are rotatable infork 25. The rotary movement of the control member 2 and control shaft Iis transmitted by universal 24 and miter gears I5 to shaft I6 upon whichis mounted lever I'I to which the ailerons are connected by suitablelinkage. The lateral movement of control member 2 and control shaft I istransmitted by fork 25 to yoke I8. Yoke I8 is integral with hollow shaftI9 upon which is mounted lever 20 to which the rudder is connected bysuitable linkage. The vertical movement of the control member 2 andcontrol shaft I is transmitted by fork 25 and link rod 2I to slidableshaft 22. The slidable shaft 22 has mounted thereon collar 23 to whichis connected forked bellcrank I4. The vertical movement of the slidableshaft 22 is thereby transmitted to the elevators.

I am illustrating herewith only mechanical methods of transmitting themovements of the control wheel and shaft to control surfaces. Hydraulicmeans may also be used to transmit the movements of control member andshaft to the control surfaces. This is more particularly applicable forlarge airplanes. The functional control principle may also be connectedinto the pneumatic mechanism of the automatic pilot.

From the foregoing description and the disclosure in the drawing whichis merely illustrative, it is evident that various modifications andchanges in designs of the apparatus and method may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit of the basic invention or the scope ofthe appended claims.

The invention described herein, if patented, may be manufactured andused by or for the Government of the United States of America forgovernmental purposes Without the payment to me of any royalty thereon.

What I claim is:

1. An airplane control comprising a control shaft having gripping meansfor manual operation at one end and being connected at its other endthrough a universal to a horizontally mounted shaft geared to an aileroncontrol, a yoke with a hollow shank mounted loosely on said controlshaft, the ends of the forked membei` of said yoke being pivotallymounted on horizontal pivots formed on the ends of the forked member ofa vertically mounted yoke having a hollow rotatably mounted shankthrough which a rod freely passes for vertical reciprocation, saidpivots being located concentrically in a horizontal plane with saiduniversal connection, the end of said rod between the forked ends ofsaid vertically mounted yoke being pivotally connected by a link to theshank of the yoke on the control shaft for reciprocation by angularmovements of said shaft in a vertical plane, the other end of said rodbeing connected to an elevator control, the shank of the verticallymounted yoke being connected to a rudder control.

2. An airplane control as dened in claim l wherein the verticallyextending parts are mounted in a pylon having a housing at the endthereof for the universal connection, the forked ends of the yokes, thehorizontal shaft and gearing, a concentric movable portion of saidhousing about said universal connection overlapping an opening in thestationary portion thereof, said movable portion being movable with theswinging of the shank of the yoke mounted on the control shaft, so as tokeep the housing sealed during operation of the control shaft withinwide limits.

' FRANCIS A. WODAL.

